


Operation Phoenix

by segerge



Series: TASK FORCE [21]
Category: HERO Champions
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-22
Updated: 2015-12-22
Packaged: 2018-05-08 07:59:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5489606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/segerge/pseuds/segerge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(October 1991) Why is Doctor Destroyer luring superhero teams across America into deathtraps?  WHAT is that mobile island doing approaching Hawaii?  And *how* many people will criticize Bob for leaving his phone off the hook so his first date with Julie doesn't get ruined?</p><p>My take on a canon event in the Champions Universe timeline.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Operation Phoenix

**Author's Note:**

> **warnings** : slow start, mature topics, intense action sequences
> 
> * * *
> 
> #### Dramatis Personae
> 
> **Task Force (Dallas-Fort Worth supergroup)**
> 
>   * Ted Jameson (AKA Ranger), CEO of ProStar, speedster and team leader
>   * Julie Dormyer (AKA Ladyhawk), Chairman of the Board of Directors for ProStar, ninja with latent powers of temporal visualization
>   * Dr. Bob Hawkins (AKA Starforce), Senior Research Scientist for ProStar, power-armor wearer/gadgeteer
>   * Rev. Kent Christiansen (AKA Spiritual Warrior), Associate Pastor of Carrolton Park Church, mage with a holy sword
>   * Frederick 'Bowser' Bastable (AKA Mr. Bassman), jazz artist and mutant sonic projector
>   * Zes'arou Al'Gari Vikon (AKA Sage), exiled Varanyi psionic
> 

> 
> **Justice Squadron (NYC supergroup)**
> 
>   * Jeffrey Sinclair (AKA Vanguard, expy of Superman in the Champions Universe timeline)
>   * Jonothan Keyes (AKA The Drifter, expy of Dr. Strange except he looks like a 1940's private eye)
>   * Daniel Gibson (AKA Digitak), gadgeteer
>   * Marcy Gibson (AKA Electron), Digitak's daughter, also a gadgeteer
> 

> 
> **Freedom League (Philadelphia supergroup)**
> 
>   * The Mechanic, gadgeteer and leader
>   * Atlas, brick with powers of growth
> 

> 
> **other heroes**
> 
>   * Dr. Eclipse, geneticist and powers of darkness manipulation, leader of the Boston-area New Paladins
>   * James 'Whit' Whitley (AKA Diamond, expy of the Thing in the CU timeline), member of the NYC-area Sentinels
>   * Col. Shane Silverman, USAF, DoD liaison to PRIMUS
> 

> 
> **villains**
> 
>   * Dr. Albert Zerstoiten (AKA Doctor Destroyer, expy of Dr. Doom in the CU timeline)
> 

> 
> **Other**
> 
>   * Shina Arikawa, butler/chauffer/bodyguard for Julie Dormyer (her 'Alfred')
> 

> 
> **AUTHOR'S NOTE** : Since this is a mainline event of the gaming universe's timeline, there are a lot more heroes in this one than in a typical TASK FORCE story
> 
> * * *

(10/8/1991. Midtown Manhattan, sunset. Bob 'Starforce' Hawkins and Julie 'Ladyhawk' Dormyer are walking down 8th Avenue, both in secret identity. Julie is holding Bob's arm)

 **Starforce** : "Have I told you that you look gorgeous tonight?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Only every half an hour." (beat) "Have I asked you yet what this big surprise you have for me is going to be?"

 **Starforce** : "Only every fifteen minutes."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Can't blame a girl for trying. C'mon, can't you tell me *anything* about it?"

 **Starforce** (looks at the signpost up ahead and smiles): "Okay, maybe a little hint. I've been planning this since the IEEE invited me to their symposium this week."

 **Ladyhawk** : "You've known about that since August! How did you know my Board of Directors was going to have a snap meeting this week in New York?"

 **Starforce** : "I didn't. I nearly had a heart attack when you told me there was an out-of-Dallas board meeting for this week."

 **Ladyhawk** (smiles): "The expression on your face was priceless."

 **Starforce** : "We've been trying to have a first date for nearly a year, now. The only thing I could think was, 'oh no, not again...'"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Well, it's a first date and we're here now." (beat) "Hmmm. You've been planning it for months, you've taken me to an expensive restaurant in Midtown, and if I'm not mistaken we're still close to Broadway."

 **Starforce** : "Very good. In fact, the answer to all your questions should be revealed right... about..."

(Bob and Julie round the corner of 8th Avenue and 44th St)

 **Starforce** : "Now."

(Julie is staring at the marquee of the Majestic Theater half a block away, proudly advertising Andrew Lloyd Webber's _Phantom of the Opera_ )

(stunned silence)

 **Ladyhawk** : "SQUEEEEEEeeeeee!!!"

 **Starforce** : "Well?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "How did you know?!?"

 **Starforce** (smirking): "I cheated. Shina told me."

 **Ladyhawk** (overcompensating): "Okay! You're just playing with my mind and my affections, you don't actually have tickets for tonight's performance..."

 **Starforce** (eyes sparkling with humor): "Technically true until we get to the Will Call window."

(stunned silence again)

 **Ladyhawk** : "SQUEEEEEEEE!!!!"

 **Starforce** (clutching his ears in pain): "Are you OK?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "WHY ARE YOU STANDING THERE MOVE MOVE MOVE MOVE MOVE!!!"

 **Starforce** (laughing): "Okay, calm down!"

(they start walking again. More properly, Bob starts walking. Julie is practically skipping, which when done in heels and a dress while dragging her date should be a superpower.)

(They reach the Will Call window without serious injury)

 **Clerk** : "Name?"

 **Starforce** (handing clerk his ID and a credit card): "Hawkins. Two tickets."

(clerk looks at ID, stops, then looks intently at Bob)

 **Clerk** : "THE Robert Hawkins?"

 **Starforce** : "My name can't be THAT uncommon. Is there a problem?"

 **Clerk** : "Can you give me a moment, please?"

(clerk hands cards back to Bob and phones someone)

 **Ladyhawk** : "What was *that* about?"

 **Starforce** : "I don't know. Something's not right here."

(After a moment, a man who looks to be in charge runs up to the Will Call window. The clerk helping Bob and Julie waves, and he walks up to them)

 **Manager** (breathlessly): "Dr. Hawkins?"

 **Starforce** : "That would be me."

 **Manager** : "I'm the theater manager. Could you and your guest come with me, please?"

 **Starforce** : "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on here."

 **Manager** : "My apologies, Dr. Hawkins. We're upgrading your seats. On the house."

 **Starforce** : "Uh... why?"

 **Manager** : "We've never hosted a newly-awarded Nobel Laureate in our theatre before. This way, sir."

(Bob and Julie exchange a confused look, then follow the manager)

 **Starforce** (absently): "There must be some mistake..."

 **Ladyhawk** (to manager): "Excuse me. Do you know what he's won the Nobel prize in?"

 **Manager** : "Physics."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Bob): "That would be you."

 **Manager** : "You were co-winner with some scientist in Indiana. Ober.. Over-something."

 **Starforce** : "Overhauser? He was my thesis advisor at Purdue."

 **Manager** (to Bob): "Yes, Overhauser." (beat) "You mean you didn't know?"

 **Starforce** : "I've had the phone off the hook all afternoon. I've been planning this night for months and didn't want anything to ruin it."

 **Manager** (pause, then laughs): "Sir, Madam, your seats. Congratulations, and enjoy the show."

(Bob and Julie sit down. They're *really* good seats up in a side balcony)

 **Starforce** (looking around): "Well, they're better than the ones I originally bought."

(they look at each other)

 **Ladyhawk** : "You LEFT. Your phone. Off the HOOK?"

 **Starforce** : "I said I didn't want anything to ruin our night tonight!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "You *missed* being told you won the Nobel Prize because you LEFT. Your Phone. Off the HOOK."

 **Starforce** : "When you say it like that, you make it sound like it's a bad thing."

 **Ladyhawk** : "We could have missed something *really* important!"

 **Starforce** : "What could possibly be more important than us finally having some time for ourselves?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "I don't know. Uh, Doctor Destroyer saddling Megaterak up for a joyride across America?"

 **Starforce** (raises eyebrows): "I'd pay money to see that..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Biomaster releasing genetically-engineered mastodons in the Dallas Central Business district that shoot flame from their trunks?"

 **Starforce** (acidly): "Knowing Biomaster, that's not the end of the mastodon I'd be worried about shooting flame."

(Julie tries to stifle the shriek of laughter and fails)

 **Ladyhawk** (laughing): "Stop it!"

 **Starforce** : "Four words, Julie Dormyer. Phantom. Of. The. Opera. Tonight, nothing else matters."

 **Ladyhawk** (sighs, then smiles): "Okay, Nerd-boy."

(She snuggles against his arm, still smiling. Bob suddenly snorts)

 **Starforce** : "Flaming mastodons of doom..."

 **Ladyhawk** (through gritted teeth): "Stop it..."

 **Starforce** (cheerfully demented): "When we get back home, we should find Biomaster, suggest your idea to him, and see what happens!"

 **Ladyhawk** (laughing uncontrollably): "STOP IT!!"

* * *

(After the play. Bob and Julie are leaving the Majestic to walk back to their hotel. Now Bob is practically skipping)

 **Starforce** (singing softly): "Softly, deftly, music shall caress you; hear it, feel it, secretly possess you..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "I didn't think it was possible for anyone to enjoy tonight more than I did..."

 **Starforce** : "I've always wanted to see a Broadway production *on* Broadway." (looks at Julie) "Bonus points for doing it with a beautiful woman."

 **Ladyhawk** (smiles): "So you were just using me? You evil man..."

 **Starforce** : "No, really! Some of my first musical memories are of Broadway show tunes. My stepmom would put a stack of records on the stereo to keep me entertained while she cleaned the house."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Really?"

 **Starforce** : "Really. There was also a lot of Tchaikovsky and Nat King Cole mixed into those stacks, too, from what I remember."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Nat King Cole? Any relation to Natalie Cole?"

 **Starforce** : "Her father. Famous pianist and singer post-World War II." (beat) "You never heard of him?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "No."

 **Starforce** : "How 'bout some of his songs? (singing the title as he recites each one) "'Straighten up and Fly Right?' 'Get Your Kicks on Route 66?' 'Mona Lisa?' 'Unforgettable?'"

(Julie shakes her head at each song title)

 **Starforce** : "I'll do 'Mona Lisa' for you when we get home. I did it as a solo once or twice in college."

 **Ladyhawk** (impressed): "I thought 'Convoy' was your college solo..,"

 **Starforce** : "Not the only one. Just the best-known one."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Well then, I look forward to it."

(Bob goes back to Phantom mode. There was a reason he was in the Purdue Glee Club)

 **Starforce** (singing): "Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind; In this darkness that you know you cannot fight"

(Bob and Julie turn north on Broadway)

 **Starforce** (singing): "The darkness of the music..."

(Julie gasps, and Bob looks ahead instead of at her)

 **Starforce** (trailing off): "...of. The. Night."

(A superbattle has obviously just been fought on Broadway between 44th and 45th, and collateral damage was the winner by TKO. Agents, ambulances, firetrucks, and superheroes are everywhere)

 **Ladyhawk** (making PER roll on a nearby building): "Blaster damage, not gunfire."

 **Starforce** (examining a blaster hit on a lightpole): "Maybe we *should* have brought our suits."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Bob, over there!"

(Julie indicates humanoid form crumpled on the pavement. As they run over to it, the superhero Diamond of the Sentinels breaks from his huddle with some PRIMUS agents nearby)

 **Diamond** : "Sir, Ma'am? Active crime scene. I'm going to have to ask you to stay back..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "He's a doctor!"

 **Starforce** : "Probably not the one you were expecting, though."

(Bob and Julie reach the form before Diamond can intercept them. Bob recognizes the crumpled form instantly)

 **Starforce** (kneeling by the crumpled form): "Especially since Destroids were involved!"

 **Diamond** (beat): "Where have *you* seen Destroids before?"

 **Starforce** : "Amchitka Island, December 1988." /* "72 Hours" */

(Diamond's eyes widen as he realizes he's dealing with a superhero in his secret ID)

 **Diamond** : "We're still collecting evidence. You know the drill; look, but don't touch"

 **Starforce** (nods): "Understood."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Diamond): "Who were the Destroids fighting?"

(From the tone of authority in her voice and her body language, Diamond realizes he's dealing with a superheroine in *her* secret ID)

 **Diamond** : "A platoon of VIPER agents was coverging on West 44th. The Destroids ambushed them. That's all we're sure of right now."

 **Ladyhawk** : "My date and I just got out of a theatre on West 44th..."

 **Diamond** : "Is there a chance either one of you could have been the targets?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Yeah, that thought just crossed my mind, too." (beat, watching Bob's non-inasive examination of the Destroid) "If we were, that means Doctor Destroyer did this to *protect* us!"

 **Starforce** (without looking up from measuring a trajectory with a pen): "I heard that. Can I roll to disbelieve?"

 **Diamond** : "You two may be in more danger than you think. Is there any way we can reach you?"

(Julie reaches into her clutch purse for a business card and pen, and starts writing a hotel and room number on the back of the card)

 **Ladyhawk** (writing): "I wouldn't normally do this except we've fought together before and you've sort of been doing this since before I was born. We're checking out at noon tomorrow and doing some sightseeing before catching our flight home, but until then we can be reached..." (hands Diamond the card) "...here."

(Diamond looks at both sides of the card and raises an eyebrow when he reaches the pre-printed side. He then looks at Julie before securing it in a belt pouch)

 **Diamond** : "Take care, Miss Dormyer."

(Diamond walks away)

 **Ladyhawk** (to Starforce): "Nerd-boy. Let's go, it's getting cold out here."

 **Starforce** (getting up): "Couldn't tell too much anyway without my Human Tricorder powers."

 **Ladyhawk** (taking his arm): "Could you tell anything at all?"

 **Starforce** : "It wasn't a new model or an upgrade. That much was obvious."

(they walk away, skirting the edge of the battlefield)

 **Starforce** (stopping suddenly and raising his hand): "Wait!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "What?"

 **Starforce** : "We never checked to see if Doctor Destroyer had ridden Megaterak here!"

 **Ladyhawk** (hitting Starforce): "Stop it!"

(Bob and Julie laugh as they walk off)

* * *

(40th floor, Marriott Marquis New York. Bob and Julie stop in front of her hotel room)

 **Starforce** (smiling): "Well?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Let's review, Nerd-boy. You *completely* miss the announcement that you won the Nobel Prize in Physics, tried to refuse a free seat upgrade from the theatre manager, then try to take us back to the hotel through the site of a recent superbattle... which, by the way, *may* have been fought on our behalf by the most infamous supervillain in human history."

(Bob looks crestfallen)

 **Ladyhawk** : "All of that *just* to take me to see _Phantom of the Opera_."

(Julie aggressively embraces Bob)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Best."

(she kisses him)

 **Ladyhawk** : "First date."

(they kiss each other)

 **Ladyhawk** (whispered): "Ever."

(they kiss passionately. Julie unlocks the door to her room while she makes out with Bob, proving once again that women are superior at multitasking)

(VERY long pause. You probably don't want to know where their hands are on each other right now)

 **Ladyhawk** (breaking for air and breathing heavily, nodding toward her room. She missed her EGO roll): "C'mon in."

(beat)

 **Starforce** (reluctantly. He BARELY made *his* EGO roll): "Can I take a rain check?"

(they look into each other's eyes. What Bob wants to do is right, but neither wants the night to end, either)

 **Starforce** (softly): "We were at each others' throats for so many years. I... I don't want to screw this up. Screw *us* up..."

(Julie puts a finger over Bob's mouth)

 **Ladyhawk** (whispered): "I understand. This is all kind of new to me, too."

(they kiss again passionately. Time stops. Eventually, Julie lets go reluctantly and backs into her room)

 **Starforce** : "Good night, Ninjette."

 **Ladyhawk** (softly): "Good night, Nerd-boy."

(Julie shuts the door gently. Bob stands there for a moment. He's not sure, but there may have been a 'squee' on the other side of the door)

 **Starforce** (internal monologue): [[JULIE DORMYER asks me into her room for a night of mad, passionate sex and I ASK HER FOR A RAINCHECK? WHAT IS *WRONG* WITH ME?!?]] 

(he looks at floor)

 **Starforce** (internal monologue): [[Yet she said she understood when I said I didn't want to screw us up. Maybe *she* doesn't want to screw us up, either]]

(he looks up)

 **Starforce** (internal monologue): [[Did I just pass a test?]]

(he smiles and turns away from the door)

 **Starforce** (singing, and doesn't care who knows it ['All I Ask', from _Phantom of the Opera_ ]): "Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime..."

(he slowly walks down the hallway. It's questionable whether his feet are touching the floor)

 **Starforce** (still singing): "...let me lead you from your solitude..."

(He reaches room 4043)

 **Starforce** (singing, retrieving his room key from his jacket): "Say you need me with you here, beside you..."

(He opens his door)

 **Starforce** (singing, almost dancing into his room): "...anywhere you go, let me go too..."

(the lights turn on before he can reach a light switch)

(the door slams shut as Bob's eyes widen in horror)

(Bob's room key falls out of his hand to the floor)

 **Dr. Destroyer** (sitting in a chair at the far end of the room): "If you wouldn't keep your phone off the hook, Destroyer would not need to visit you in person."

* * *

(Room 4043, Marriott Marquis New York, one second later) 

(Bob's first date with Julie has taken a somewhat unexpected turn)

 **Starforce** (still dealing with the violent mood whiplash): "Am I your captive?"

 **Dr. Destroyer** (fingers steepled in front of him): "You are my host, Dr. Hawkins." (beat) "Or should I call you 'Starforce' instead?"

 **Starforce** (internal monologue): [[Oh, CRAP]] (verbally) "Dr. Hawkins will do just fine, thank you."

(Bob walks over to room's cash bar)

 **Starforce** : "May I get you something to drink?"

 **Dr. Destroyer** : "No, thank you. Destroyer is not above social drinking, but I do not anticipate being here long enough to enjoy it."

 **Starforce** (selecting the strongest drink in the bar): "Then you don't mind if I pour myself one? 'Cause if I'm still alive in two minutes I'm really going to need it."

 **Dr. Destroyer** (sinister chuckle): "Are you not interested in why I have graced you with My presence?"

 **Starforce** (pouring his drink. The bottle is visibly shaking): "I'm getting to that."

 **Dr. Destroyer** : "First, let me extend my congratulations on your winning the Nobel Prize in Physics for this year."

 **Starforce** : "Thank you." (puts bottle down) "Since my thesis advisor was co-winner, am I correct in assuming it was for my discovery of the magnetic monopole?"

 **Dr. Destroyer** : "You are."

 **Starforce** : "Will you be visiting Professor Overhauser, too? His heart might not be able to handle the shock."

 **Dr. Destroyer** : "My congratulations to him have taken more subtle directions. He is a man who answers both his correspondence and phone calls."

 **Starforce** (slamming his drink down on the bar): "Okay, I get it! I shouldn't have taken my phone off the hook to keep my date from being ruined."

 **Dr. Destroyer** : "Which leads me to my second point. Had you *been* answering your phone this afternoon you would have known that the Manhattan VIPER nest had taken a, shall we say, malign interest in your date with Fraulein Dormyer tonight." (beat) "I was forced to take more direct action than I would have preferred."

 **Starforce** : "Why? Why would *you* protect Julie and I?"

 **Dr. Destroyer** (standing up): "The reasons of Destroyer are too inscrutable for mere mortals to understand."

 **Starforce** (made PER roll, internal monologue): [[the chair creaked. He's not a hologram]]

 **Dr. Destroyer** : "Know this, Robert Hawkins. Destroyer finds your lack of attentiveness inexcusable. Correct it. There will soon come a day when the power of Destroyer will no longer be around to protect you from the consequences of your mistakes."

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!)

(Long pause, then Bob downs his drink in one gulp and sits down on his bed to shake uncontrollably.)

* * *

(10/9/1991. Stately Dormyer Manor, Lakewood Village, TX. Late evening)

(TASK FORCE is gathered in the Great Room. Shina Arikawa has just finished providing drink service to everyone)

 **Ranger** : "I apologize for the lateness of the hour, but given events in New York City I felt it necessary. Has everyone gotten their copy of the after-battle report from the Sentinels?"

(nods all around the room)

 **Ranger** : "Bob, walk us through what happened last night when you got to your hotel."

 **Starforce** (petting his cat Merlyn asleep on the couch between him and Julie): "I walked Julie back to her room, watched her go in..." (glancing at Spiritual Warrior) "...*without* going in myself."

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Thank you."

 **Starforce** (rambling): "Not for any lack of desire on my part, mind you..."

 **Ranger** (interrupting): "Focus."

 **Starforce** : "Anyway, I get to my room, and Doctor Destroyer is already there waiting for me, sitting by the window just like he did that sort of thing every night."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Starforce): "Look on the bright side. If you had taken me up on my offer, Destroyer would have broken into *my* room instead. Probably at an embarrassing moment for both of us."

 **Starforce** : "You mean to tell me that I may have saved the world from the Sex Tape of Doctor Destroyer?"

(Julie shrieks and covers her mouth)

(Ranger does a spit-take with his coffee)

(Mr. Bassman collapses on the floor with laughter)

(Spiritual Warrior rolls his eyes)

(Merlyn looks up, meows crossly at everyone laughing, then tries to go back to sleep)

 **Sage** (to Spiritual Warrior): "How can he joke about something like this? I don't understand..."

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Look up 'coping mechanism' sometime."

(Ted waits for everyone, including himself, to stop laughing)

 **Ranger** : "Was he there to attack you? Kidnap you?"

 **Starforce** : "He was there to talk."

 **Ranger** : "About what?"

 **Starforce** : "He wanted to congratulate me for winning the Nobel Prize in Physics, first off. He then told me that he'd been trying to warn me that VIPER was going to attack me and Julie last night."

 **Ranger** (indicating report): "So, being unable to reach you yesterday afternoon he set last night's ambush on Broadway to take them out?"

 **Starforce** : "He flat-out TOLD me he was responsible for it."

 **Sage** : "Did he say why?"

 **Starforce** : "No. Even when I challenged him on that."

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "That is potentially not good. He WILL expect a favor in return, and most assuredly *not* at a time of our choosing."

 **Mr. Bassman** : "Why couldn't he reach you by phone?"

 **Starforce** : "I left the phone off the hook all yesterday afternoon so nothing would ruin my date night."

 **Ranger** : "THAT'S why I couldn't reach you when the Nobel Prize announcement came out!"

 **Starforce** (disgusted): "You, too? Seriously?"

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Was there anything about your encounter that struck you as odd?"

 **Starforce** : "Other than the lack of general mayhem and property damage that usually occurs when Doctor Destroyer appears?"

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "You know what I mean."

 **Starforce** : "There was something odd about what he said to me as he 'ported out, and I can't quite put my finger on it." (subtly contorting his body and adopting a harsh, raspy voice) "'There will soon come a day when the power of Destroyer will no longer be around to protect you from the consequences of your mistakes.'"

 **Mr. Bassman** : "What mistake would he be talking about?"

 **Starforce** : "Given the context of what was said just before that, it had to have been about my leaving the phone off the hook."

 **Spiritual Warrior** (unusually deadpan): "The Etiquette Lesson of Doctor Destroyer?"

(Ranger does another spit-take)

(Bob facepalms)

(Mr. Bassman laughs)

(Merlyn jumps off the couch and walks off disgustedly. Shina is quieter and, more importantly, in the kitchen)

 **Ladyhawk** (looking at Spiritual Warrior with awe): "These *are* the End Times..."

(Bob realizes what's bothering him)

 **Starforce** (slaps his head): "That's IT!"

 **Ranger** : "Go on, Bob."

 **Starforce** : "'There will SOON come a day when the power of Destroyer will NO LONGER BE AROUND.'"

(long pause as it sinks in with everyone)

 **Mr. Bassman** : "He's dying?"

 **Ranger** : "That's what it sure sounds like."

 **Starforce** : "If he were, he would *have* to take one last shot at world conquest. And it would be an epic one because he'd have absolutely NOTHING left to lose."

 **Sage** : "It could be even worse than that."

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "How so?"

 **Sage** : "Doctor Destroyer has always regarded your planet as his personal property. What do you think he will do if he is dying and is still not in control of it?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Oh my God. If he can't have the world..."

 **Ranger** : "Then no one can."

* * *

(10/10/1991. ProStar HQ, Plano, TX. Lunch hour)

(Bob enters Ted's office with a bag of Chinese food and a thick folder)

 **Starforce** (sarcastically): "Nice to know the Nobel Laureate is *still* the low man on the totem pole."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Oh, that smells SO good."

 **Ranger** : "Well-timed, Bob! She'd hit the limits of her Forensic Accounting superpowers half an hour ago and we're still no closer to figuring out what Destroyer's going to do."

 **Starforce** (rummaging around in the bag): "Okay, calm down everyone... Ah, Cashew chicken for the boss-man..."

 **Ranger** (accepting container): "Thank you."

 **Starforce** : "Weapons-grade General Tso's, that would be me..." (beat) "...and Szechuan Beef for the *lovely* lady over here."

(the lovely lady over there proceeds to attack her lunch like a starving cheetah would attack a gazelle)

 **Ranger** : "What's with the folder?"

 **Starforce** (breaking chopsticks): "Long story, but I'll try to condense. The Sentinels mentioned in their report that they had not only found the abandoned base that the Destroids had staged out of for the Broadway attack, they had also found plans in its systems for something called a Zeta-Beam."

 **Ladyhawk** (shoveling food into her mouth): "I thought it was a little *too* convenient a discovery. Drop it, Bob. It's a red herring."

 **Starforce** : "I'd like to do that, but then I found myself going over its engineering requirements as the coffee took effect this morning. When you look at the mass budget required to make something that big and powerful... Well, there hasn't been a rocket that could throw a payload that size into orbit since the Saturn V. Which led me to realize that a payload that size would require something more electrogravitic in nature to get it off the ground. Which led me to...."

(Bob plops the folder on Ted's desk)

 **Starforce** (continuing): "Six years of procurement fail in the course of attempting to advance the field of electrogravitics during my employment here."

 **Ranger** : "You always told me that it was due to vendor incompetence."

 **Starforce** : "What if it wasn't?"

(Julie's eyes widen. She spears her chopsticks into her container)

 **Ladyhawk** (pointing frantically at Bob's folder, mouth full): "Folder. Gimme."

* * *

(10/11/1991. Fort Worth, TX. Early evening)

(The hangar of Dr. Destroyer's base in the DFW area. Standard maintenance is being done on some of the grav vehicles. Other agents are practicing combat drills)

(the main door disintegrates under the blow of Mr. Bassman's 5d6-1 Penetrating subsonic RKA)

 **Starforce** (flying in): "Candygram!"

(Starforce 6d6 RKA takes out the light Grav APC, bouncing the rubble off the Grav Tank)

(Grav tank shoots at Starforce, misses. Spiritual Warrior teleports in and separates the barrel of the tank's main blaster from the turret with one swing of Khereviel)

(Ranger runs in at full speed and does a single Move-by sweep on as many agents as he can. The untouched agents' eyes glaze over and they start firing on their compatriots)

(Mr. Bassman appears on top of the Grav Tank. AE NND takes the tank crew out of the fight)

(with Sage making the agents fight each other, they are all KO'ed)

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Clear!"

 **Starforce** : "Clear!"

 **Sage** : "Clear!"

 **Mr. Bassman** : "Clear, mon!"

 **Ranger** : "Clear!"

(There is a massive, echoing CLANG from the back of the hangar. Ladyhawk is standing by the cargo elevator shaft, having walked in and opened it with some judiciously-placed thermite pellets while *everyone* else was distracted)

 **Ladyhawk** (presenting the open maw of the shaft to the rest of TASK FORCE): "Come into my parlor, said the Spider to the Fly."

 **Starforce** (hovering, to Ranger): "You wanna do this slow or quick, boss?"

 **Ranger** : "Quickly. There will be less time for things to go wrong."

(Starforce nods, then hand-signals Sage)

 **Sage** (in Starforce's mind): ((brain check))

 **Starforce** : ((five by))

(Starforce glides over to Ladyhawk as the rest of TASK FORCE gathers around Spiritual Warrior)

 **Starforce** (landing, putting an arm around Ladyhawk's waist and a hand behind her head): "Ready, Ninjette?"

 **Ladyhawk** (smiling at Starforce as she puts both arms around him): "Just keep your hands to yourself, Nerd-boy."

(Starforce snorts humorously and they jump into the elevator shaft. The shaft opening briefly glows with the activation of his forcefield and flight)

 **Spiritual Warrior** (to Ranger): "That is SO much better than the way they used to treat each other."

 **Sage** : "Okay, they're at the bottom..." (beat, disgusted) "...and they've finally stopped kissing. Starforce reports the opening is 'smallish.' They're going to check for a better landing zone on the other side."

 **Ranger** : "The bottom of the shaft must have taken some damage when Ladyhawk burned it open up here."

 **Sage** : "We have a landing zone."

(Sage transmits the image from Starforce into Spiritual Warrior's head)

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Got it. Porting..."

(zzzZZZZZAP!)

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "...now."

(the vault area is dimly lit and full of things)

 **Mr. Bassman** : "Is it me or have things been a bit too easy?"

(Ladyhawk's danger sense screams for attention)

 **Ladyhawk** (screaming): "ELEVATOR SHAFT! TAKE COVER!"

(Starforce shoves Ladyhawk to the ground and covers her with his body and cape. Ranger, Mr. Bassman, and Sage duck in front of Spiritual Warrior, who slams a forcewall up behind him just as the vault shakes from an explosion. A blast of debris and dust comes out of the now-former elevator shaft, hits the forcewall and disperses)

 **Starforce** (to Mr. Bassman): "Not any more."

 **Ladyhawk** (muffled): "Nerd-boy?"

 **Starforce** (uncovering Ladyhawk and helping her to her feet): "Oh, sorry."

 **Sage** : "How much air do we have left?"

(Starforce switches over to IR and scans the ceiling)

 **Starforce** : "As much as we need. I'm still seeing air transfer around the ventilators."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Whoever trapped the elevator shaft only wanted to keep us down here, not suffocate us."

 **Mr. Bassman** : "Gives us more time for the search, mon."

 **Ranger** (smiles): "Good point. Starforce, you're up. Everyone, let's move out."

 **Starforce** (levitating and drifting alongside the team): "On it, boss."

* * *

(TASK FORCE walks deeper into the vault of Destroyer's DFW-area base. Starforce does a slow pirouette in mid-air as he drifts alongside.)

 **Starforce** (singing softly): "Scooby Dooby Doo, where are you? We've got some work to do, now..."

(Eventually)

 **Starforce** : "Uh, guys? Are we *in* the right place?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "We have to be. I tracked all the stolen research shipments that were supposed to go to ProStar here."

 **Starforce** : "Well, I'm not detecting any electrogravitic-based technology down here. Other than what *I'm* wearing..."

 **Sage** : "Is your mask broken or being jammed?"

 **Starforce** : "Nope, and nope."

 **Mr. Bassman** : "Could it be hidden, mon?"

 **Starforce** : "Also nope. Even Dr. Destroyer has to obey the same laws of physics that I do. If there was any electrogravitic tech down here, it *should* have responded to my sweep no matter what its condition." (beat) "I CAN tell you what we *are* surrounded by, however."

 **Ranger** (beat): "Any day, Starforce..."

 **Starforce** : "We are currently surrounded by a metric CRAPLOAD of complex hydrocarbons and assorted petrochemicals. Probably in gel suspension, judging from the nature of the spectral response I'm getting back."

(Ladyhawk has been looking at one of the containers)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Ranger? What does FAE stand for in the military?

 **Ranger** : "Fuel-air explosive."

 **Ladyhawk** : "It's been on every container we've passed so far"

 **Ranger** (internal monologue): [[Oh, CRAP]]

(TASK FORCE stops moving. Starforce lands gingerly)

 **Spiritual Warrior** (looking around vault): "If what all of you are saying is true, there's enough explosive here to take out BOTH the Dallas and Fort Worth Central Business Districts."

 **Sage** : "Last time Dr. Destroyer attempted a master plan, he tried to kill 90% of your species with a mutagenic wavefront broadcast from the Aleutian Islands. Isn't all this a little -- ordinary -- for him?"

 **Ladyhawk** (interrupting): "No pressure, guys, but my danger sense is saying we need to leave NOW."

 **Ranger** : "Sage. Switchboard. NOW."

(As Sage establishes a mind-link with the entire team, a screen on the far wall of the bunker flickers to life)

 **Dr. Destroyer** (on screen): "My faithful agents, I applaud your sacrifice. You have given your lives in the destruction of some of my greatest enemies. Well done.”

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "His faith in his soldiers appears to have been misplaced..."

 **Dr. Destroyer** (on screen): "As for you, little heroes, you have again decided to play games and match wits against me. Only this time, I am not playing. This scheme is not something that is meant for your amusement; soon, you will be dead. In the past, I have sometimes been less than absolute in my dedication to my designs, which has created setbacks. This time is different. This time, I am playing, if you will excuse the metaphor, to win."

 **Ranger** (points to ceiling): "Bassman, make a hole!"

(Mr. Bassman ranged 20m Tunnelling through 25 PD. He's in a hurry)

 **Starforce** (grabs Ladyhawk's hand and looks up into Mr. Bassman's tunnel): "Hang on..."

 **Dr. Destroyer** (on screen): "In a matter of seconds, the fuel-air explosives contained in the bunker with you will explode. The resulting crater, along with the remaining pieces of your bodies will serve as monuments not to the the brilliance of Destroyer, but to your own stupidity. The world of the Destroyer will be born. Die in the knowledge that it is your own childishness at challenging a god that destroyed you."

(Dr. Destroyer's face vanishes from the screen to be replaced by a 5-second countdown. LEDs go live on the FAEs)

 **Starforce** (simultaneous with previous): "I see sky!" (spinning Ladyhawk into a tight carry and taking off): "Going UP!"

(Starforce and Ladyhawk clear the base. He spins while ascending and locates a landing zone for Spiritual Warrior's teleport)

 **Starforce** (focusing on LZ): ((RIGHT THERE SAGE, NOW!))

(Sage has already mentally relayed the image to Spiritual Warrior. There is a flash of light in the LZ, and the rest of TASK FORCE is clear *just* in time)

(The FAEs all go off. Ladyhawk twists Starforce's back toward the ground while still in mid-air. The fireball/pressure wave catches Starforce in his back and throws them both clear. Ladyhawk and Starforce are separated in mid-air. Ladyhawk is unhurt for the moment. Starforce is CON-stunned, his forcefield and flight shutting off)

 **Ladyhawk** (screaming, arms instinctively flailing as her trajectory peaks): "STARFORCE!!"

(Starforce recovers from being stunned just in time to see Ladyhawk fall past him)

 **Starforce** (lighting up his forcefield and diving in pursuit): "DAMMIT!!!!"

(Starforce grabs Ladyhawk, twists back-first to the ground to shield her from impact, and starts slowing them down)

 **Starforce** (internal monologue): [[Hope 3 gees is enough. I go to full power with her outside my forcefield and the inertial effects'll pulp her]]

 **Spiritual Warrior** (looking at Starforce and Ladyhawk falling out of the sky): "Sage, they're running out of altitude!"

 **Sage** (hitting with 20 STR psychokinesis. Every little bit helps...): "Got you!"

 **Ladyhawk/Starforce** (hitting the ground): "Whunnf!"

(they look at each other, Ladyhawk on top of Starforce. Both are unhurt)

 **Ladyhawk** (beat, then with a high, childlike voice): "Do it again!" /* Psych Lim: Thrillseeker, anyone? */

(they laugh)

* * *

(10/12/1991. Granite Park, Plano TX. Ted and Kent are walking around the edge of the lake)

 **Ranger** : "Destroyer *played* us, Kent. And I walked our team right into it like I was a brand-new second lieutenant."

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Don't be so hard on yourself, Ted. We're still alive."

 **Ranger** : "If I had been one second later in recognizing what was happening, we wouldn't have been."

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Question. Think back to your Second Lieutenant days. What would your top sergeant be telling you right now if he were here?"

 **Ranger** : "Nothing I'd feel comfortable repeating to a pastor, that's for certain."

 **Spiritual Warrior** (laughs): "Okay."

 **Ranger** : "Without going into specifics, you're saying I should consider his advice in this situation?"

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "As long as it doesn't involve going into a bar or a whorehouse, yes."

(now it's Ted's turn to laugh)

 **Ranger** : "Thank you. I needed that."

(they pass some joggers heading the other way down the foot path)

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "I'm curious. Were we the only group targeted by Destroyer?"

 **Ranger** : "No. Three other groups got death-trapped last night about the same time we were."

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Who?"

 **Ranger** : "The Freedom Patrol in Oakland, the New Paladins outside Boston, and the Liberty League near the Naval Air Station north of Philadelphia."

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Casualties?"

 **Ranger** : "Revenant gave his life to get the New Paladins clear, the exact details are a bit sketchy there. Evoker plane-shifted the Liberty League into Faerie, and was forced to stay behind as the price to return them to our plane. Three members of the Patrol are still in Bay-area hospitals."

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "I have a lot of people to pray for when I get back home."

(they pass another person walking their dog)

 **Ranger** : "The scary thing is, whatever Destroyer is planning we've only just scratched the surface of it."

 **Spiritual Warrior** (dourly): "Now that's a cheerful thought."

 **Ranger** : "How many more lives will be lost before we stop him this time?"

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "IF we can stop him."

* * *

(10/17/1991. Stately Dormyer Manor, Lakewood Village, TX)

(it's Poker night. Julie is dealing. Bowser, Ted, Bob, and Vikon are also playing)

 **Ladyhawk** (shuffling cards): "Five-card draw, boys, nothing wild."

 **Ranger** (to Bowser): "How's the new album going?"

 **Mr. Bassman** : "I have to go to LA next weekend to re-record some tracks. I'm having trouble figuring out how the label's going to make a day-after-Grammys release date if I'm still in the recording studio in October."

 **Starforce** : "Wait. Didn't you release an album *last* year?"

 **Ladyhawk** (dealing cards): "That was a Christmas album, Bob."

 **Ranger** : "He hasn't had a mainline release in over two years."

(Bob looks puzzled)

 **Ladyhawk** (smiling): "You might want to consider keeping your phone *on* the hook a little more often."

(everyone at the table laughs. Bob rolls his eyes)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Okay, enough small talk. Who's in?"

 **Mr. Bassman** (looks at his cards, then antes up): "Me."

 **Ranger** (tosses chips into pot): "Call."

 **Starforce** (repositions a card before tossing chips): "Call."

 **Sage** : "Raise twenty."

(everyone looks at Vikon)

 **Ladyhawk** (not even looking at her cards): "Dealer folds."

(Bob starts clucking like a chicken at Julie, and everyone laughs again)

 **Mr. Bassman** : "Call."

 **Ranger** : "Call."

 **Starforce** : "Call."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Well, that was interesting." (looks at Mr. Bassman) "Cards?"

 **Mr. Bassman** : "Two, please."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Two for Bowser."

 **Ranger** (tossing discards on the table): "Three."

 **Ladyhawk** (eyebrow raised, dealing three to Ted): "Living dangerously, I see..."

 **Starforce** : "One"

 **Ladyhawk** (dealing to Bob): "And one for the Nerd-boy on his nerd throne."

 **Starforce** (completing the quote as he puts the new card into his hand): "In the land of Texas where the shadows lie."

 **Ranger** (to Bob): "Milton?"

 **Starforce** : "Tolkien."

(everyone looks at Vikon)

 **Sage** : "No cards."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Ooookay. This should be fun. Start us, Bowser."

 **Mr. Bassman** : "Check."

 **Ranger** : "Check."

 **Starforce** (counts out chips and tosses them into the pot): "Let's light this firecracker. One hundred."

 **Sage** : "Raise one hundred."

(everyone's eyes widen)

 **Mr. Bassman** (folding a pair of aces): "Love to play, but not with *these* cards."

 **Ranger** : "Raise one hundred."

 **Starforce** (awed, folding his spade flush and trying to lean away from the line of fire): "I think I'll watch the rest of this hand from the safety of the guest apartment."

(Vikon and Ted stare at each other over the pot)

 **Sage** : "All in."

(tense pause)

 **Ranger** : "You're bluffing."

 **Sage** : "It will cost you to find out."

(tense pause as Ted desperately attempts to get a read off of Vikon. In the background, the phone rings and Shina answers it from the kitchen)

 **Ranger** (throwing 4 fives and a three away and leaning back disgustedly): "You win. Fold!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Go, Vikon!"

(the rest of the table applauds quietly as Vikon rakes the pot over to him)

 **Ranger** (to Julie): "If you had told me when I got back from Saudi that you had taught a telepath how to play poker without using his powers, I would have laughed in your face..."

(Shina walks in with a handset as Ted is speaking)

 **Shina** (interruping): "Excuse me, Julie-san? It is Pastor Kent. He sounds agitated."

 **Ladyhawk** (murmured to Shina while taking the phone): "Thank you." (into phone) "Hi, Kent! What's wrong?" (pause) "No, we don't have CNN on."

(Ted points to Bob, then the Great Room. Bob nods and sprints out of the dining room)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Wait... wait, Dr. Destroyer did WHAT?"

(everyone left sitting at the table gets up, alarmed)

 **Starforce** (from the Great Room): "What the HELL?"

(Julie follows the gang running into the Great Room, still listening to Spiritual Warrior on the other end. Bernard Shaw is speaking on the TV, there is a map of the Central Pacific behind him, and a stock photo of Dr. Destroyer in the upper right of the screen)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Yeah, we're seeing it now. Belief's going to take a little longer, though..." (pause) "I think that would be a very good idea. See you in fifteen, bye."

 **Bernard Shaw** (from TV): "...of Defense Cheney will be holding a press conference in a matter of moments with the latest developments on this situation..."

 **Ranger** (muting the TV): "A moving ISLAND?"

 **Starforce** : "The British seriously considered using sawdust-impregnated ice to build half-mile long aircraft carriers in World War II. It's not entirely unprecedented."

 **Mr. Bassman** : "How do you get a moving island most of the way across the Pacific without anyone noticing? Shouldn't our satellites have picked it up?"

 **Sage** : "The Varanyi hid an entire Star Galleon from your satellite network for most of your year 1983. It's not THAT hard of a job to do."

 **Starforce** : "Yeah, rub it in."

 **Ranger** (to Julie): "We'll need to call other teams to coordinate a response. How soon can you have Shina set up the Great Room for a conference call?"

 **Julie** : "Immediately. Let me go get her." (turns to kitchen and walks away) "Shina?"

* * *

(Evening, 10/18/1991. Base Ops, Hickam AFB, HI)

(Team leaders briefing. Col. Shane Silverman, US Air Force [DoD liaison with PRIMUS] is leading the briefing. Dr. Eclipse represents the New Paladins, the Mechanic represents the Liberty League, the Drifter represents the Justice Squadron, and Ranger represents TASK FORCE.)

 **Col Silverman** : "Ladies, gentlemen. I'm glad you and your teams could make it here on such short notice. A quick recap for those of you who have just landed: the island -- which we are naming Destruga for planning purposes -- continues to hold a course of 090 at 15 knots. It is currently 350 miles west of Kauaii, and we are projecting it to pass 10 miles north of that island by this time tomorrow night."

(Silverman clicks a remote, and an annotated map of the North Central Pacific appears on the screen, upon which he indicates various things with a laser pointer as he speaks)

 **Col Silverman** : "Our conventional assets. We have and are continuing to accumulate Air Force and Navy tactical air assets on every runway possible across the islands, which we are currently using to contest Destruga airspace. Also, PACFLEET was able to throw together a scratch battle group centered on the _Missouri_ , which is leaving Pearl Harbor as I speak. They should be in position to attack Destruga tomorrow morning. We have carrier battle groups inbound from San Diego and Yokohama, but they won't be in range to launch airstrikes for another day."

 **The Drifter** : "This could be decided before then one way or another."

 **Col Silverman** : "To complicate matters, COMSUBPAC reports intermittent contact with a large, mobile submersible object 500 miles west-southwest of Oahu."

 **The Mechanic** (indicating the screen): " _Poseidon's Fist_?"

 **Col Silverman** : "Likely."

 **Ranger** : "That's a good position to pin the _Missouri_ Battle Group between itself and Destruga."

 **Col Silverman** : "PACFLEET shares your assessment."

 **Ranger** : "Am I also correct in assuming that prosecuting the contact will take most of our cruise missile launchers away from possible ground support roles?"

 **Col Silverman** : "You are."

 **The Mechanic** (murmuring): "You sound like you've done this for a living."

 **Ranger** (murmuring): "More recently than you think."

 **Dr. Eclipse** : "I know the Sentinels and the Peacekeepers spearheaded an attack earlier today. Any word on how that's going?"

 **Col Silverman** : "They went in with the first airstrike. They report heavy resistance."

 **Dr. Eclipse** : "Shouldn't we be going in *now*?"

 **Ranger** : "We still have heroes and teams inbound to Hawaii. The best tactic here is to wait, gather as many of us as possible, then hit Destroyer tomorrow all together as HARD as possible. Preferably with gunfire and cruise missile support from the _Missouri_."

 **Dr. Eclipse** : "That's going to be rough on the people already on the ground now."

 **Ranger** : "I know. TASK FORCE was on *that* end of the tactical equation at Amchitka."

 **The Mechanic** : "Doc, they knew the risk when they put the cape on." 

(an idea occurs to Ranger)

 **Ranger** (to Col Silverman): "When will _Missouri_ be in cruise missile range?"

 **Col Silverman** : "They've been in range since they raised anchor."

 **Ranger** : "We're talking Dr. Destroyer here. They'll need to be a lot closer."

 **Col Silverman** : "They'll be within 100 miles of Destruga by midnight."

 **Ranger** : "If you can have the heroes on the ground designate targets -- and can correct for the forward motion of Destruga in guidance -- have her start launching then. That may relieve some of the pressure on them."

 **Col Silverman** : "We still have that big-assed submarine of Destroyer's possibly stalking them to the south."

 **The Drifter** : "Leave that to me. I can take the aquatic-themed heroes with me to protect the battle group."

(Col Silverman nods)

 **Col Silverman** : "If you need to brief your teams, the Base Theater is available. If anyone needs to get to the _Missouri_ , we're sending a Blackhawk at 2100." (beat) "Thank you for your response, people. Your nation's counting on you and your teams."

* * *

(One hour later. Base theater, Hickam AFB, HI)

 **Vanguard** (addressing the assembled heroes): "I have asked Ranger of TASK FORCE to prepare a battle plan for our attack on Destruga. Ranger?"

(Vanguard steps to one side as Ranger takes the stage)

 **Ranger** : "I'm going to keep this simple, so we have some discipline yet maintain flexibility. I will be splitting us up into four teams based roughly on what I expect we will be needing to do tomorrow." (beat) "First up; who here can fly?"

(hands go up, including Starforce's)

 **Ranger** : "You will report to Vanguard. You are now Team Air Support. One guess what you'll be doing."

(laughter)

 **Ranger** : "Next, do we have anyone who specializes in aquatic combat?"

(some hands go up)

 **Ranger** : "Report to the Drifter, your job will be to protect the USS _Missouri_ and her Battle Group. If you have a problem with teleportation, there's a Black Hawk at Base Ops which will be wheels-up in 20 to take you to her."

(murmured acknowledgement)

 **Ranger** : "Next. Is there anyone whose moral code might interfere with the usage of lethal force to beat Dr. Destroyer?"

(some hands go up)

 **Ranger** : "Report to Dr. Eclipse, you are now Team Logistics. If our plane makes it down intact I intend to use it as a combination field hospital and communications hub. You will run it."

(murmured acknowledgement)

 **Atlas** : "The rest of us. Are we Team Punch-Them-In-The-Face?"

(The Mechanic elbows Atlas in the ribs. Ranger joins the laughter)

 **Ranger** : "Yes." (beat) "I expect to be adding personnel to each team before we leave as other heroes arrive from the mainland. Questions?"

(there are none)

 **Ranger** : "Digitak, Ladyhawk, Sage, stay a moment. The rest of you, get some rest, you'll need it. Reveille at 0600, meet at Base Ops 0630, wheels-up at 0700. Dismissed."

(the superheroes get up to leave. Vanguard stops by Ranger)

 **Ranger** (sheepishly, realizing he completely took the briefing over from Vanguard): "I'm sorry. Recent instincts took over."

 **Vanguard** : "Compared to other briefings I've been to, that was incredible. Thank you."

 **Ranger** (awed): "You're welcome."

(Vanguard leaves. Digitak, Ladyhawk, and Sage remain)

 **Ranger** : "If he runs true to form, Dr. Destroyer will have an interdiction field around Destruga which will prevent the usage of both teleporation and psionics. The generator will be on the highest hill of the island. Your job is to take it out."

 **Sage** : "You realize I am going to be useless once I am inside the field?"

 **Ranger** : "You won't be when it's down, and you'll be VERY well-placed to exploit that. Until then, you'll be out of harm's way. Questions?"

(all three shake their heads)

 **Ranger** : "Dismissed."

* * *

(10/19/1991, C-141B approaching Destruga)

 **Ranger** (over plane PA): "Team Air Support, sixty seconds to drop. Everyone else, if you do NOT fly strap in now."

 **Random Hero 1** : "We're dropping on the downwind leg. That only gives us a minute to clear the runway before they land."

 **Random Hero 2** : "Yeah, no pressure..."

(Starforce starts to move toward the back of the plane, and is stopped by Ranger)

 **Ranger** : "If we need to tech our way out of a situation, I'm pulling you off of Team Air Support to ride shotgun with the Mechanic and Electron."

 **Starforce** : "Got it, boss."

 **Ranger** : "Good luck."

(Starforce turns and is blocked by Ladyhawk. They look at each other for a moment, then fiercely embrace and kiss to cheers from the other superheroes)

 **Ladyhawk/Starforce** (to each other): "Good luck."

(Starforce forms up at the back of the plane with the rest of Team Air Support)

 **Random Hero 3** : "Wish *I* was fighting for that."

 **Random Hero 4** : "DAMN, Starforce..."

 **Random Hero 5** (holding hand up to head like a phone and mouthing to Starforce): "Call me." /* this will be funnier if the random hero is male */

(Starforce looks around Team Air Support. Even Vanguard is impressed)

 **Starforce** : "What?"

(Team Air Support laughs)

 **Ranger** (over PA): "Thirty seconds to drop. Hatch opening..."

(As sunlight begins to stream into the back of the plane, a couple of heroes get ready to run out. Starforce drops into a runner's crouch)

(back light next to the cargo hatch changes from red to green)

 **Ranger** (over PA): "GO GO GO GO GO!!!"

(Team Air Support launches from the back of the C-141. The next forty-five seconds are chaotic, and more or less one-sided in favor of Team Air Support. The runway is cleared of Destroyertech and agents just as the C-141 makes a hard 180-degree turn to line up on the runway)

 **Random hero** (looking off over the island): "Aw, crap! Is that who I think it is?"

(everyone looks in that direction. Dr. Destroyer is flying in to deal with the landing)

 **Starforce** : "Oh, bloody hell."

 **Vanguard** (cracks knuckles): "Leave him to me."

(Vanguard flies toward Dr. Destroyer, and that part of the battle is soon joined)

 **Starforce** (beat, then to rest of Team Air Support): "Dibs on selling popcorn."

* * *

(Onboard. The C-141 bumps to a halt)

 **Ranger** : "GO GO GO GO GO!!!"

(Team Punch-Them-In-The-Face streams out the back of the C-141 to engage the enemy. Ranger gets ready to join them)

 **Dr. Eclipse** : "Ranger, WAIT!"

 **Ranger** : "What?"

(Dr. Eclipse grabs him and kisses him)

 **Dr. Eclipse** : "For luck."

 **Ladyhawk** (impressed, quietly to Ranger as she passes by with Sage and Digitak): "Go, Ranger!"

(Ranger runs out of the plane. He cannot locate Vanguard but can locate Starforce)

 **Ranger** (sliding to a stop below Starforce): "Starforce! Where's Vanguard?"

(Starforce points to the increasingly-violent duel taking place half a mile away and a quarter-mile up)

 **Ranger** : "Oh."

(Most of the attack force is now off the plane. Digitak emerges with a walking stick and backpack, followed by Ladyhawk and Sage)

 **Digitak** : "Let's go, crew! That interdiction field isn't going to shut itself down."

(Electron grabs Ladyhawk's arm)

 **Electron** (indicating Digitak): "Promise me you'll take good care of Daddy, please?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "We will."

(Electron nods and goes with the attack force)

* * *

#####[ quick montage of battle sequences ]#####

* * *

(jungle path, halfway up Mount Destroyer. Digitak and Sage enter a clearing to find two unconscious Destroyer-agents. Ladyhawk is finishing a drink of water while sitting on a nearby rock)

 **Ladyhawk** : "What took you guys?"

 **Sage** (to Digitak): "I told you it was a good idea to send her ahead of us to clear the way."

(Digitak turns back around. Ladyhawk has vanished)

 **Digitak** : "One of these days, I'm gonna figure out how ninjas do that."

* * *

#####[ another quick montage of battle sequences ]#####

* * *

****(Mount Destroyer, roughly 3: 05 PM local time. Digitak and Ladyhawk have a side panel on the statue open and are working on its innards. Sage is off to one side, looking frustrated)

 **Ladyhawk** (made Security Systems roll at -5): "Okay, I think I've got it stabilized. Try it now."

 **Digitak** (working on circuit): "The rest of the world can barely do quantum computing at the software level and Dr. Destroyer is implementing it in *hardware*!" (beat) "...and got it! You're good at this."

 **Ladyhawk** : "I've had a lot of experience working with technical wizards. Some of it under battlefield conditions."

 **Digitak** (beat): "Your team's tech wiz would be Starforce, right?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Yes."

 **Digitak** : "He's good. Relies a little too much on that suit of his, though."

 **Sage** (arms crossed, leaning against statue): "He and Ladyhawk have just started the second phase of your species' rather confusing mating rituals."

(Digitak smiles. What we can see of Ladyhawk's face around her mask starts blushing.)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Wait. Second phase?"

 **Sage** : "Yes, second phase. According to my observations, the first phase consists of name-calling, the hurling of insults at each other, arguing, pointless bickering..."

(Digitak has to stop his hardware hacking to keep from laughing)

 **Sage** (continuing): "I believe the term is 'belligerent sexual tension.'"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Sage, shut up."

 **Sage** : "One of the things I can't understand is why it took you and Starforce eight years to progress beyond that phase. That's long even by the standards I've seen on your planet's media outlets..."

(Ladyhawk grabs the front of Sage's tunic and hauls him down to her level)

 **Ladyhawk** (matter-of-fact but with a low voice): "When we get home, I am going have Nerd-boy build the *strongest* psionic jammer he can for me. Then, secure in the knowledge that you cannot hurt me, I am going to hurt *you*. Slowly."

(Digitak fails his electronics roll. The circuit he had been attempting to set up for Ladyhawk's lockpicking deactivates)

 **Digitak** : "Aw, DAMMIT!"

 **Ladyhawk** (releasing Sage): "Again?"

 **Digitak** : "It's that blasted regenerative circuitry Destroyer uses! Every time I think I'm making headway it re-routes around me!" (beat, sits back down) "We're never going to shut down the interdiction field at this rate..."

 **Sage** : "If you can't shut the generator down, why don't you just blow it up?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "I don't carry that much thermite on me for what should be obvious reasons."

(Digitak freezes. His jaw drops open in slow motion)

 **Digitak** : "That's BRILLIANT!"

 **Sage** : "Are you OK?"

 **Digitak** : "*We* don't carry that much explosives, but there are a LOT of Air Force and Navy assets around this island right now that DO!"

(Ladyhawk's eyes widen)

 **Ladyhawk** (grabbing radio): "Who do I call?"

 **Digitak** : "Tune to one eight eight point four megahertz. Now that we have air control, there should be a JSTARS listening for ground support requests. Call sign is Argus lead."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Got it." (switches radio frequencies) "Argus lead, this is Ladyhawk-actual. Do you copy?"

 **Voice** (over radio): "Argus lead, go ahead Ladyhawk."

 **Ladyhawk** : "I need ordinance at grid coordinates, uh..."

(Digitak points at a certain spot on their map)

 **Ladyhawk** (continuing): "...Four Five Four Three Two Eight."

 **Argus Lead** : "Stand by one. We're seeing who's available"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Please and thank you!"

(not-so long pause)

 **Argus Lead** : "Ladyhawk, I have someone to service your request, call sign is Battlestar. Switching you over now."

 **New voice** (over radio): "Ladyhawk-actual, this is Battlestar. Do you have any way of placing an infrared reflector on the target zone?"

 **Digitak** : "Oh, hell YES!" (takes a roll of Mylar and duct tape out of his backpack and gets busy attaching it to the face of the statue)

 **Ladyhawk** : "That's an affirmative, Battlestar. We are currently marking the target."

 **Battlestar** : "Copy that." (beat) "Yeah, that statue looked ugly anyway."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Excuse me? You've already acquired the target?"

 **Battlestar** : "We have a Predator in your area now updating our fire-control solution."

(Digitak's eyes widen again at the phrase 'fire-control solution')

 **Battlestar** : "You might want to get real far back to enjoy this show."

(All three of them grab their equipment and start moving downslope)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Copy that, Battlestar. We are clearing ground zero now." (beat) "Dare I ask what to expect?"

 **Battlestar** : "Sixteen-inch shells. And... incoming."

(the horizon off to the southeast lights up as if there is a thunderstorm)

 **Digitak** (grabbing a forcewall generator off his belt): "Time do what I've always done in situations like this."

 **Sage** : "Which is?"

 **Digitak** : "RUN!!!"

* * *

****(Destruga, the Master Mile. 3: 09 PM local time)

(The melee at the Control Room end of the Master Mile is vast and confusing, with good guys, bad guys, and explosions as far as the eye can see.)

(Electron and The Mechanic are working with circuitry beside the door to the Control Room. Mr. Bassman has their backs picking off Destroids, and Starforce is alternating between helping the gadgeteers and helping Mr. Bassman. We can occasionally see Ranger doing repeated move-by sweeps on approaching agents.)

 **Electron** (throwing logic probe on the ground in frustration): "DAMMIT! It rerouted again!"

 **The Mechanic** : "Did your father teach you that language?"

 **Electron** : "Not intentionally."

 **Starforce** (shooting a force blast): "It's that regenerative circuitry of Destroyer's. You're going to have to short out the entire system everywhere at once, not just at one point."

 **Electron** (musing): "A focused EMP would do the trick nicely..."

 **The Mechanic** : "Immersing it in salt water would be better."

 **Electron** : "Salt water?"

 **The Mechanic** : "That, or any other fluid that's electrolytic in nature."

 **Starforce** (martial-kicking a Destroid into pieces parts): "So what are you saying? One of us should throw up on it?"

 **Electron** (not amused): "Funny, Starforce."

 **Ranger** (stopping by Starforce to catch a breath): "Progress?"

 **Starforce** : "Not good, boss."

 **Sage** (in Ranger's mind): ((Ah, there you are. I have a new-found respect for your nation's _Iowa_ -class battleships))

 **Ranger** : "Sage?!?"

 **Starforce** (looking at Ranger): "The interdiction field's down?"

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

(The Drifter suddenly appears next to where Electron, The Mechanic, and Starforce are attempting to open the door)

 **The Drifter** (to the Mechanic): "I need you NOW."

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

(The Drifter and The Mechanic vanish)

 **Electron** (to thin air): "Seriously, Drifter? We needed him HERE more!"

 **Starforce** (speaking as an idea is forming in his mind): "Actually, I don't think we do anymore."

(Starforce motions the rest of TASK FORCE over to he and Electron. Mr. Bassman pauses long enough to wreck a Destroid that started to run to them)

 **Starforce** : "Is it me or has the layout of Destruga been EXACTLY like the one on his original island?"

 **Electron** : "Yes! I've seen the blueprints in Dad's old notes." (beat) "From the Justice League's failed assault in 1984."

 **Ranger** (to Starforce): "You look like you're getting an idea."

 **Starforce** : "If his control room is laid out the same way as his original island, the security console should be on the far side of the command dais from the main door. The door controls will be there." (to Spiritual Warrior) "Can you 'port me right next to that console?"

 **Mr. Bassman** : "How we do recon for Angel-mon's landin' zone?"

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "We can't. I'll have to 'port us in blind." (to Starforce) "Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?"

 **Starforce** : "We don't have time to be safe."

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "And you *know* what my teleport does to you."

 **Starforce** : "I'm actually counting on it."

* * *

****(Destruga, Control Room. 3: 10 PM local time. Dr. Destroyer waits on the command dais, arms akimbo, and looks at the door)

(zzzzzZZZAP!)

(Spiritual Warrior's blind 'port is perfect, dropping he and Starforce right next to a console in the back of the room. Starforce rips off the top of the console)

 **Starforce** (throwing up): (HUWAAUGHk!!)

(Console innards short out from the vomit sprayed everywhere across its electronics. The main door starts opening. Dr. Destroyer turns around)

 **Starforce** (grinning sickly and waving): "Hi?"

 **Dr. Destroyer** : "You're late." (to ceiling) "Sennacherib, NOW."

(fifteen-second countdown starts on all viewscreens)

(the lights flicker. St. Elmo's Fire crawls over Starforce, dropping him like a poleaxed mule. From the door, we hear a nasty electrical sizzle, followed by Electron screaming in agony. Two more powered-armor based heroes attempting to fly in crash and roll into the control room out of control)

(Ranger is hit by a strange-colored beam as he runs in for an attack. He screams, speeds up to ten times normal speed and ricochets off of three walls before collapsing)

(Mr. Bassman appears and winds up for his most powerful sonic blast. Sonic shockwaves from a snap-down projector in the ceiling hit him just as he fires. He grabs his throat, literally speechless, and collapses in pain. A hero next to him clutches his head, also in extreme pain)

(A fire-based hero flies in only to be hit by high-powered water jets. He crashes to the floor screaming)

(Missiles streak past the concentrated mass of superhumanity attempting to storm the control room. Flash-bangs and concussion grenades go off in the control room end of the Master Mile, kicking around the lower-powered and more martial-arts based heroes)

(Vanguard flies through the storm of beams and missiles, winding up for a haymaker)

 **Vanguard** (shouted to Spiritual Warrior): "Batter UP!"

(Vanguard's haymaker hits Dr. Destroyer, the knockback sending him toward Spiritual Warrior. Spiritual Warrior hits with Khereviel, stopping Destroyer's forward progress and cracking his armor. Destroyer is CON-stunned)

 **Spiritual Warrior** (grabbing Dr. Destroyer before he can fall and holding Khereviel across his throat): "Don't think for a MOMENT that I *don't* have permission to do this."

 **Vanguard** (landing and walking up to Dr. Destroyer): "You've FAILED, Destroyer. Again."

 **Dr. Destroyer** (recovering from being stunned): "You muscle-bound CRETINS! Exactly WHAT did you think Destroyer's plan WAS?"

(a pause while the wounded and injured heroes scattered across the control room moan and try to recover from what has just happened. Starforce, his suit shorted out, pulls his mask up onto his forehead to see what is happening)

 **Dr. Destroyer** : "Destroyer built this island NOT to attack the United States, but to lure you all to your DOOM!"

(24d6 Destroyer-Beam catches Spiritual Warrior in the chest and slams him into a side wall, CON-stunning him. Destroyer levitates above Vanguard)

 **Dr. Destroyer** : "Farewell, fools! Destroyer shall NOT mourn your passing."

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!)

(Destroyer 'ports out with the countdown at 0: 03)

(0:02)

(0:01)

(0:00)

(Nothing happens)

 **Starforce** (beat, to Vanguard): "Wasn't there supposed to be an earth-shattering kaboom about now?"

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

(The Drifter and The Mechanic 'port in)

 **The Drifter** : "I apologize for leaving the battle without explanation, but there was a situation in the silo which had to be dealt with *immediately* when the interdiction field dropped."

 **The Mechanic** (dropping something that looks like a pulson blaster on steroids to the floor): "As in two tons of lithium deuteride, a pulson initiator, and a forcefield to contain the fusion burn until rupture."

 **Starforce** : "Two TONS?" (does the math in his head and pales. Lightning Calculator FTW) "Good God, that's a yield north of 50 Megatons!"

 **The Drifter** : "Starforce, focus. Your leader needs attention urgently."

(Ranger is writhing in pain on the floor. Crackles of what look to be static electricity randomly shoot from his body, and he looks like he is attempting to go desolidified [a power he does NOT have, BTW])

 **Ranger** (in pain): "Can't... Hold it... Help..."

 **The Mechanic** (looking at Ranger): "I've seen this before." (over his shoulder) "Somebody go back to the closest security block. Get me a portable nullifier." (to Starforce) "Can you help me?"

 **Starforce** : "Yeah. Tell me what I need to do."

(Starforce crawls over to Ranger and joins the Mechanic kneeling alongside)

* * *

( **EPILOGUE** : Dawn, 10/20/1991. C-141B eastbound over the North Pacific Ocean, northeast of Oahu)

(Ranger is sitting, with his hands inside power nullifiers. Occasionally we can see him blur, then come back into focus)

 **Sage** : "What type of hell-beam speeds a body's molecules up to the point they DISINTEGRATE?"

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "That's Dr. Destroyer for you. Always a new technical trick up his sleeve." (beat) "Is the nullifier holding?"

 **Sage** : "It appears to be so far. Given the speed with which The Mechanic and Starforce jury-rigged it, I'm surprised it's worked as well as it has."

(Ladyhawk enters the cabin from the direction of the cockpit in time to hear the last part)

 **Ladyhawk** (indicating Ranger): "How's he doing?"

 **Sage** : "Better than he should be. His condition is unprecedented in Varanyi medical history..."

(Ladyhawk glares at Sage)

 **Sage** (continuing smoothly): "...which would be more important if we were on Varan right now instead of Earth."

(Ranger looks up hesitatingly and smiles at Ladyhawk. He's still not entirely well)

 **Ladyhawk** (to Ranger, squeezing his shoulder): "Hang in there, soldier."

 **Ranger** : "That's what I'm supposed to say."

(Ladyhawk smiles and moves down the plane. Mr. Bassman is being tended to by Dr. Eclipse. He flashes a thumbs-up to Ladyhawk)

 **Dr. Eclipse** : "The damage to the vocal chords is healing normally. He should be completely recovered in a week, as long as he doesn't try to scream at anything."

(Ladyhawk suppresses a giggle. She squeezes Mr. Bassman's shoulder, smiles at him, and nods in support before crossing to the other side of the plane and sitting next to Starforce. He's given up on trying to repair his suit)

 **Ladyhawk** : "How bad?"

 **Starforce** (indicating his suit): "I can walk and I can see. Until we get home and do a complete wipe-and-reload of the OS, that's *it*." (shaking his head, rambling) "The Tempest hardening SHOULD have been good up to 50 kilovolts per meter..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "What did Destroyer hit you with?"

 **Starforce** : "EMP. Damned powerful, too." (indicates Digitak tending to his daughter Electron elsewhere in the cabin) "Electron almost got *fried* by her own gadget pool because of it."

(Ladyhawk looks like she wants to say something but can't find the words to do so)

 **Starforce** : "Something troubling you?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Yes. For what was supposed to be his own personal attempt at Ragnarok, the last two days seemed so... so..." (searches for word, the finds it) "...anticlimactic. Don't you think?"

 **Starforce** : "He had party favors for *everyone* who made it into the control room at the end. If the Drifter and the Mechanic hadn't disarmed the improvised 50-Megaton H-bomb in the silo, the party would have extended across most of the Pacific Basin, too. That's not anticlimactic to me." (beat) "You don't mind if we talk about something more pleasant, do you?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Not at all. Have anything in mind?"

 **Starforce** : "Before Dr. Destroyer started playing 'Pirates of the North Pacific' this week, I got the full packet from the Nobel committee for attending the Award Ceremony."

 **Ladyhawk** : "I saw that." (beat) "I also noticed you sort of left the packet out on the piano. Almost like you wanted someone *else* to read it?"

 **Starforce** : "Hm. Do tell."

 **Ladyhawk** : "I had Shina move it to a secure, undisclosed location until we get back. I couldn't take the chance you'd throw it away for some reason."

 **Starforce** : "You're *never* going to let me live down leaving the phone off the hook before our first date, are you?"

 **Ladyhawk** (smiles): "Not if I can help it, Nerd-boy." (beat) "You *were* aware that the invitation to Nobel Week was extended to Dr. Hawkins *and* *guest*, weren't you?"

 **Starforce** (looking off into the distance and rubbing his chin): "Now that you mention it, I *do* seem to recall noticing that."

 **Ladyhawk** (playfully hitting him because she's just been out-flirted): "Stop it!"

(they laugh quietly)

 **Starforce** : "Stockholm in December's gonna be cold."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Not if we're together."

(Starforce holds Ladyhawk's hand and smiles)

* * *

(fin)


End file.
